Summer Break For New Grads

May 13, 2014

June is just a few weeks away and for many soon-to-be graduates, that means summer break! Whether you are taking the entire summer, or just a few weeks off before going onto college, grad school, or a new job, here are a few things you should be sure to do before the responsibility of the next phase of your life sets in.

Enjoy

Often times in life we are so focused on our long term goals (in this case getting that diploma) that we don’t give ourselves any time to actually celebrate the accomplishment of our goals. So after all the pomp and circumstance has died down, give yourself some time to relax and take in your accomplishment. Whether you prefer to spend time with friends who may be moving away, catching up on reading for pleasure, or going big and taking a summer vacation, there are lots of ways to reward yourself for making it this far on your journey before the next step.

For those who are diving into another around of academia in the form of college or graduate school, the summer may be one of best times to start socking away the savings by working a summer job. As we all know, higher education is getting more and more expensive and while it’s unlikely you’ll be able to earn enough over one summer to pay for your schooling, getting in a few months worth of paychecks can definitely help with many of the smaller costs like room, board and books.

If you really need to save some dough this summer, in addition to getting a job, you can also try some of these ways to make extra money.

Get Ready

No matter what lies ahead for you in the next stage of your life after graduation, it’s probably a good idea to not just financially prepare, but to also get mentally and physically prepared. If you’re traveling far from home, spend time with family members while you can and spend your down time preparing your new living situation for items you may not have.

If you are going into a rigorous graduate program, it’s not a bad idea to do a bit of prep work in advance to make sure that you can hit the ground running for your classes

And, if you are starting your first job, this could be a great time to shop for new work attire as well as brush up on your new company so you are ready to impress from day one.